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Credit Accumulation

This is a national scheme which allows higher education students to build up credits, year by year, towards the awards they want. It is particularly valuable for students who want to spread their study over several years or those who find their circumstances change part way through a course and want to take a break without losing credit for the work they have completed.

Each section of a CATS programme is worth a certain number of credits which count towards an award. For example, 120 credits add up to a Certificate of Higher Education, 240 credits is a Diploma of Higher Education and 360 credits is an Honours Degree.

Under CATS it is possible to halt a programme of study, retain the credits accumulated, then pick the course up again in later years. It is also possible to “cash in” credits accumulated at one university and complete the course at another university within CATS.